Stirring means



P. J. ROMMEL ST'IRRING MEANS mmh l5, 193@ Filed April 7, 1936 ATYOWHEY Patented Mar. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oFricE Application April 7,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a combination spoon and agitating or stirring device.

Spoons capable of a reciprocating motion which have heretofore been available have usually been complex in their structure requiring a handle portion of unattractive proportion. Furthermore, such devices have usually been constructed to serve merely as an agitating device and have been undesirable to use as an ordinary spoon.

By my invention I provide an improved structure such that the device is adapted for use either as an ordinary spoon or as a reciprocating stirring device, in a form which is attractive for either use.

An advantage of my device is found in the means employed for locking the reciprocating parts when it is desired to use the device as an ordinary spoon.

Another advantage liesy in the improved bearing provided between the plunger and resilient means employed, whereby a smoother and easier action is obtained when the device is used as a reciprocating stirring means. Other advantages will appear from the following description and the claims appended thereto.

The invention will be best understood if the following description is read in connection with the drawing in which Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of the device, with the inter-engaging parts released for use as a reciprocating stirring device,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal view, partly in section, showing the inter-engaging members in engagement, permitting the device to be used as an ordinary spoon, and

Figure 3 is a detail view showing the improved bearing surface provided between the plunger and the resilient means which I employ.

Referring now to the drawing, at (Ill) is shown a handle which is formed with a cylindrical bore to receive the shaft (I I) and a spring (I2) interposed between the lower end of the shaft (I l) and the closed end of the bore, as will hereinafter be r more fully described. Within the bore of the handle a spiral track or groove (I3) is provided. This track or groove (i3) may, if desired, be formed on the interior wall of the bore of the handle, but as illustrated herein I have provided a spiral (ll) of a diameter such that it will fit smoothly within the bore of the handle. This has the advantage that if the edges of the track (I3) become worn the spiral member (Ill) may be replaced.

'I'he lower end of the shaft (I I) has a head portion (I5) on which there is a projection (I6) 1936, Serial No. 73,089

adapted to travel in the track (I3). Surrounding the shaft (I I) a cap (I'I) may be provided having external threads to engage grooves provided on the inner wall of the handle near its top, thus forming a tight closure around the shaft (II) and serving as a stop to limit the upward movement of the head (I5). At the top of the shaft (I I) a cap (I8) having a downwardly extending flange portion (I9) adapted to receive within it the upper end of the handle (Iii) may be provided.

The shaft (II) at its lower end has a projection (20) slightly concave on its lower extremity, forming a bearing surface for engagement with a ball bearing (2 I) as illustrated in Figure 3. The ball bearing (2|) is retained within a cup (22) having a flange (23) which is supported on, and against which abuts the upper end of the spring (I2). In this way a bearing surface is provided between the spring (I2) and the shaft (II) in which friction, and binding of the spring (i2), is reduced to a minimum.

As is illustrated in Figure 2 the spiral member (I4) adjacent its lower end is provided with a cut away portion (24) forming a recess to receive the projection (I6) on the head portion (I5) of the shaft (II). The cut away portion (2d) is positioned so that the projection (I6) will enter it only when the shaft (l I) is moved downwardly, to a predetermined position, which as illustrated is its lowest position. When this occurs the movable and the stationary parts of the device will be locked together and the device will be available as an ordinary long-handled spoon of attractive design. To release the projection (I6) from the aperture or cut away portion (24) it is only necessary to twist the cap (I8) slightly, thereby raising the projection (I6) upwardly in the track (i3) and out of the cut away portion (2t) Preferably between the handle (I0) and the cap (l1) I insert a washer (25) in order to exclude moisture from the interior of handle (Iii). It is thus possible to wash my device in the same manner as an ordinary spoon.

It will be understood that while I have dem scribed herein only one embodiment of my invention for the purposes of a full description, the arrangement and the number of parts may be considerably varied without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A stirring device comprising an elongated handle having therein a spiral guideway, a plunger extending through an opening therefor in the upper end of said handle, an enlarged head at the inner end of said plunger having thereon a guide adapted to travel in said guideway, a screw cap threaded on the plunger shaft intermediate its top flange and enlarged head adapted to engage the top of said handle forming a closure about the plunger shaft and preventing the withdrawal of the enlarged head of the plunger, and a cap at the upper end of said plunger having a downwardly extending flange adapted to lit over the top of the handle when the plunger is in locked position.

2. A spoon having a telescopical handle comprising a hollow sleeve having a spiral track therein closed at its inner end but open at its outer end to receive a plunger having a projection adapted to travel in the said track, said spiral track having a cut-away portion forming a seat adapted to receive the projection of said plunger and thereby hold the sleeve and the plunger in fixed relation.

3. A spoon having a telescopical handle comprising a hollow sleeve having aspiral track therein lclosed at its inner end but open at its outer end to receive a plunger having a projection adapted to travel in the said track, and a washer surrounding the sleeve adjacent its outer end, said spiral track having a cut-away portion forming a seat adapted to receive the projection of said plunger and thereby hold the sleeve and the plunger in fixed relation.

4. A spoon having a telescopical handle comprising a hollow sleeve joined to the bowl of the spoon, a spiral track within said sleeve, a plunger extending into the hollow sleeve having a projection thereon adapted to travel in said spiral track, and a cap on the outer end of said plunger having an annular portion adapted to fit over the end of the sleeve.

5. A spoon having a telescopical handle comprising a hollow sleeve joined to the bowl of the spoon, a spiral track within said sleeve, a plunger extending into the hollow sleeve having a projection thereon adapted to travel in said spiral track and a cap on the outer end of said plunger having an annular portion adapted to t over the end of the sleeve, and means for locking the sleeve and the plunger in telescoped position.

6. A spoon having a telescopical handle comprising a hollow sleeve joined to the bowl of the spoon, a spiral track within said sleeve, a plunger extending into the hollow sleeve having a projection thereon adapted to travel in said spiral track and a cap on the outer end of said plunger having an annular portion adapted to fit over the end of the sleeve, means for locking the sleeve and the plunger in telescoped position and a washer surrounding the sleeve adjacent its outer end to prevent the entrance of moisture between the cap and sleeve, when the sleeve and plunger are locked in telescoped position.

PAUL J. ROMMEL. 

